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February 27, 2011

ICT and Environmental Sustainability

In this paper, published as part of a report on ICTs and Environmental Society, Arseh Seovm's Sohrab Razzaghi argues that ICT can be used to promote sustainable growth in Iran. He suggests using Information and Communication Technology to address issues of city management, pollution, and environmental issues. The paper stresses the need for more open access to ICT and a commitment to democratic values. (Continue reading...)
February 9, 2011

Wave of Repression in Iran

IRAN: Series of sentences, acts of judicial harassment and arbitrary detentions of human rights defendersParis-Geneva, February 8, 2011. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), deplores yet another massive wave of repression against human rights defenders and expresses its deepest concern over the arbitrary arrests, sentencing and judicial harassment faced by lawyers, journalists and other human rights activists in Iran.The Observatory denounces the intensive judicial harassment and arbitrary detention of dozens of human rights defenders in Iran, which merely aims at sanctioning the legitimate exercise of their work, amid a general crackdown against the Iranian civil society.
February 8, 2011

The Netherlands Removes Its Ambassador

Following the execution of Dutch citizen, Zahra Bahrami, the Dutch government has removed its ambassador from Iran. This move has been criticized by D66 as done to satisfy the parliament, rather than as part of a coherent strategy. (Read more in Dutch in the Volkskrant.)In related developments, following the execution of Dutch citizen, Zahra Bahrami, the US State Department issued a statement of concern over the human rights situation in Iran:
We are particularly troubled by the recent execution of Dutch-Iranian national Zahra Bahrami, who was denied access to Dutch consular officials. Her execution is one of dozens carried out in recent weeks amid serious questions about the motives of the Iranian government and whether these prisoners were granted their rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
February 8, 2011

Report on the Human Rights Council

The Democracy Coalition Project recently issued a report reviewing the effectiveness of the Human Rights Council. They noted that despite concern about the human rights situation in Iran, no country mandate was established to review the situation there.
February 5, 2011

Feb — House of Cinema Protests Ruling Against Panahi

Iran's House of Cinema files formal complaint against the 20 year ban on producing new films handed down to director Jafar Panahi.A source for the Hollywood publication Variety states:
“Twenty years is a lifetime for a filmmaker. It’s like prison.“The Iranian cinema guild wrote a letter to the Minister of Justice saying that to tell a filmmaker he can’t do his job is like killing him. We’re awaiting the results. Panahi has asked all his friends not to contact him or to talk about him to any festivals … because he doesn’t want to create any problems for anyone else.”
January 28, 2011

Jasmine and Fire

As Tunisia struggles to develop a civil society that can fill the hole left by the dictatorial regime, Egyptians have taken to the streets. MideastYouth.com is following the story from Egypt here. The blogger states:
In brief, Tunisia has made people, not only in Egypt but all across the region, to believe that the ousting of any totalitarian regime is within reach, if people actually march into the streets, not only on the internet. Signs of releasing anger has spread all across Egypt by tearing Mubarak’s pictures in several areas.
Events in Egypt can be followed live on Al Jazeera and Crowdvoice is also keeping track of events. Continue reading...